Cubs to host Roscoe for 2 games
By Donnie A. Lucas
The Albany Cubs split games last Thursday with the visiting Stamford Pups in the final pre-district pairings of the season.
The two junior high teams will be on the road in Roscoe this Thursday (today) to open district play, with the seventh grade kicking off at 5:00 p.m. The eighth grade will follow at about 6:00 p.m. The JV Lions will not play Roscoe, but have a pickup game against Haskell.
The eighth grade Cubs defeated Stamford 36-2 in their home opener.
The Cubs took the opening kickoff down the field to score on an 11-yard run by Adam Hill. Quarterback Lute Wheeler hit Lanxton Viertel in the end zone for the two-point play.
The Cubs got back on offense on a blocked punt by Thomas Peiser that gave Albany a short field and set up the next touchdown.
Wheeler hit Hill with an 11-yard pass for the score, then passed to Ayden Balliew for the two-pointer to push the lead to 16-0.
Hill scored for a third time in the first half on a six-yard run, followed by another Wheeler pass to Balliew to give the Cubs a 24-0 lead at the half.
The defense came up with a big score in the second half, with Zane Waggoner picking off a Stamford pass and returning the ball 65 yards for a touchdown. The try for two points failed, with Stamford picking off the ball and scoring on the conversion attempt.
Viertel got the call for the final tally for the Cubs, running the ball in from 22 yards out. The conversion attempt failed.
Hill recovered a Stamford fumble in the fourth period, giving the Cubs the chance to run out the clock.
“The offensive line was getting great movement once again,” coach Ryder Peacock said. “Our backs did a great job of finding holes and finishing their runs. We are adding on three or four yards with each carry by our backs falling forward as they are tackled.”
The coach commended the entire defensive squad.
“We had a reduced line-up last week, with the guys pretty much having to play both ways the entire game, which takes a toll,” Peacock said, “but the guys didn’t let up and only allowed the two-point conversion return.”
The seventh grade Cubs battled up until the end, threatening to score as the clock ran out on a 22-14 loss.
The Cubs scored first on a 91-yard run by Andre Gjerpe, putting six on the board. The conversion attempt failed.
Gjerpe scored later on a one-yard carry, with Ethan Green catching the two-point pass from Branson Beal.
“Offensively, we did some really good things,” coach David Fairchild said. “I thought both Gjerpe and Green ran hard, and Beal hit Brayden Watson for a big pass play.”
He added that the Cubs gave up too many big plays on defense, along with special teams and short drives.
“We are going to keep working and getting better each week,” he said. “The kids are working hard.”
